Hand-power for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

W. P. CLARK.

HAND POWER FOR SEWING MAGHINES.

No. 368,379. Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

' WITNESSES: 2 W/@% -6. 4W

INVENTOR wiw ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE \VILLIAM P. CLARK, OF ELBERION, GEORGIA.

HAND-POWER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,379, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed April 28, 1887. Serial No. 136,468.

To allauhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIA1\I P. CLARK, of Elberton, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Hand-Power for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and durable hand-power attach ment for the ordinary form of treadle sewing-machine, and this object I accomplish by means of a bracket that is arranged for connection with a sewing-machine table or other available portion of the frame, a lever that is mounted upon the bracket, and a link that is arranged for connection with the treadle or with the pitman of the machine, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the'claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation of a sewing-machine frame and its driving-gear, representing the same as being provided with my improved form of hand-power. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my hand-power attachment, the link being represented as it appears when connected to the machine-pitman; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the T-bolt used for connecting the link with the treadle of the machine.

In the drawings above referred to, represents the machine-table; 11, one of the side frames; 12, the treadle-shaft; 13, the treadle mounted upon said shaft in the ordinary way; 14, the driving-wheel, and the pitman which connects the treadle and the driving-wheel. The parts above described are of the ordinary well-known construction, and may be varied somewhat in general appearance and arrangement in different makes of machines.

In order that the machine may be driven by hand instead of by foot power, and thus give the operator a chance to rest, I provide an attachment consisting, essentially, of alever, 20, that is pivotally connected to a bracket, 21, said bracket being in turn connected to the table 10 by screws or bolts,which pass through ap- (No model.)

ertures 2, that are formed in said bracket. A link, 22, is connected to the lever 20, and to the lower end of this link there is pivotally secured an angular or L-shaped connectingpiece, 23, the extending arm of which is apertured to receive the shank 21 of a T-shaped bolt, 25, said bolt being passed upward through one of the openings in the treadle 13 and through the aperture formed in the connecting-piece 23, to be engaged by a nut, 26,which serves to bind the parts together, as illustrated in Fig. 1. By so connecting the parts it will be seen that if a proper action be imparted to the lever the treadle will be reciprocated and the machine will be driven; and in order that the operator may be relieved of any strain upon the upstroke, I prefer to arrange a spring, 27, between the lever 20 and the bracket 21; but this spring is not an essential feature of my invention. Instead of connecting the link 22 with the treadle ofthe machine, it might be connected to the pitman 15, such connect-ion being established by means of a hook-bolt, 28, that is arranged to engage the pitman 15 and pass through the aperture formed in the connecting-piece 23, said connecting-piece being at this time moved to a position so that its upper arm will extend at about right angles from the link 22.

The advantages arising from such a handpower attachment for sewing-machines as the one above described are many and varied, not the least of which is that the operators are relieved from many and painful diseases incident to the continued use of the treadle.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the sewing-ma chine frame, of the bracket 21, secured thereto, the horizontal lever 20, pivoted to the bracket, the depending link 22, pivoted to the inner end of the said lever, the L-shaped piece 23, the vertical arm of which is pivoted to the lower end of the link 22 and the horizontal arm having a vertical aperture registering with an aperture in the machine-treadle, and a bolt passing through said apertures and provided with a nut, substantially as set forth.

2. A sewingmachine attachment consisting, essentially, of abracket, a lever pivotally connected to the bracket, a spring arranged I a link pivotally connected to-the lever, a conin connection with the bracket and the lever, necting-piece pivotally connected to the lever, a link pivotally connected to the lever, a conand a T-bolt arranged to pass through the necting-piece pivotally secured to the link, machine-treadle and through the connecting- 5 and a T-bolt arranged in connection with the piece to be engaged by a clamping-nut, sub- 1 connecting-piece,substantially as described, stantially as described. a v

3. The combination, with asewing machine WILLIAM P. CLARK. frame, of a bracket rigidly connected thereto, VVitn'esses: a lever pivotally connected to the bracket, a WVILEY GHILnUs,

. :0 spring extending from the bracket to the lever, J OHN P. SHANNON. 

